One of the most exciting parts of my internship experience has been the exposure to inspiring people, ideas, and environments that made everything feel more real. Through Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), I had the chance to meet people with strong mindsets and innovative ideas, and to see how those ideas can turn into real projects and businesses. That kind of environment pushes you to think bigger, and it made me feel even more motivated about the kind of work I want to pursue in the future.
I am the Growth and Marketing Intern at Gig Engineer, a startup incubated at QSTP, and working with the team under Declan Byrne and Kirshen Naidoo has been a huge part of my learning experience. They have been very supportive and gave me real opportunities to contribute rather than simply observe from the sidelines. That made a big difference. I was given access to workshops, resources, and practical learning opportunities that helped me understand things more deeply and apply what I learned directly to the work I was doing. That kind of trust and exposure made the experience feel meaningful.
One of the biggest projects I have worked on so far has been related to ABM (Account-Based Marketing). ABM is a marketing strategy that focuses on targeting specific high-value companies rather than marketing broadly to everyone. Instead of trying to reach as many people as possible, the goal is to identify the right companies, understand their needs, and create more focused and relevant marketing and sales efforts for them.
Being involved in this project helped me understand how strategy works in a much more practical way. I researched the ABM process, explored tools and workflows, helped organize information, and worked on a presentation based on that research. I am now also involved in the early stages of helping shape the first step of Gig Engineer’s ABM strategy. What made this especially valuable is that it showed me the difference between studying marketing in theory and actually applying it to a real business with real goals.
Alongside the strategy side of my internship, I also worked on content creation and marketing support. This included helping with post design, editing written content, and thinking carefully about how messages should be presented. That taught me that marketing is not just about having strong ideas, but also about how clearly and effectively those ideas are communicated. Even small details in wording, design, and tone can shape how people respond.
Another major highlight of this experience was being part of Web Summit Qatar with the Gig Engineer team. That was one of the most exciting moments of the internship for me because it gave me exposure to a fast-moving environment filled with innovation, ideas, and interesting people. It made everything feel even more real and reminded me how much there is to learn simply by being present in the right spaces.
Overall, this internship has taught me more than I expected. It helped me build practical skills, think more critically, and better understand what marketing looks like outside the classroom. More than anything, it helped me bridge the gap between theory and real work.
I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity QSTP gave me through Gig Engineer because it allowed me to learn by doing, contribute in meaningful ways, and grow with much more clarity and confidence.
Interested in gaining hands-on experience through real startup projects, workshops, and ecosystem initiatives? Explore the QSTP Internship Program and discover opportunities to learn, contribute, and grow within Qatar’s innovation ecosystem.
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